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When Michael Jackson passed away in June 2009 at age 50, his death shocked the world. At the time of his passing, his three children were still all very young. Michael’s only daughter Paris, who was 11 when he died, gave a heartbreaking eulogy at the “Billie Jean” singer’s memorial service. “Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine… I just wanted to say I love him so much,” she said, via The Guardian.
Now, Michael’s three kids are all grown up! He had two sons: “Prince” Michael and Prince Michael Jackson II. Michael’s daughter Paris has also followed in her father’s footsteps and pursued a career in music of her own.
Here’s everything you need to know about Michael Jackson’s kids.
“Prince” Michael Jackson, 28
Michael’s oldest son was born in February 1997 to the singer and his ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, 62, he was named Michael Joseph Jackson, but quickly gained the nickname “Prince.” The Bad singer’s eldest child explained in an interview with Fox Soul that his father’s advice still sticks with him. “My father would say something along the lines of, ‘the minute you stop learning is the minute that you’re going to start dying,’” he said.
The King of Pop’s son also revealed that throughout his life he’s alternated as whether he goes by Prince or Michael, Prince has said that he’s proud to share his name with his late-father. “I don’t want to say there’s a pressure or a weight, because that’s a negative connotation. But, there is this legacy that my father worked very hard to build and maintain,” he said in a 2020 interview with the talk show This Morning.
While all of Michael’s children shied from the spotlight in the years immediately following his death, Paris has become a little more public in recent years. He graduated from Los Angeles’ Loyola Marymount University in 2019 with a degree in business administration. Since graduating, Prince has become a bit of a philanthropist and spends a lot of time working with charities. In 2019, he was working on his own charity Heal Los Angeles, an insider told HollywoodLife at the time. Prince is also active on Instagram and gives fans a glimpse into his interests and personal life. He shows that he loves outdoor activities like motorcycle riding. He also occasionally shares photos with his girlfriend Molly Schirmang, who he’s been dating for four years.
Paris Jackson, 27
Michael’s only daughter and his second child with his ex Debbie was born in April 1998. Like her older brother, Paris has been open about the lasting impact that her father has had on her life. She told Naomi Campbell in an interview that the “Man in the Mirror” popstar made sure his kids had an understanding of both the good and bad things in the world. “My dad was really good about making sure we were cultured, making sure we were educated, and not just showing us like the glitz and glam, like hotel hopping, five-star places. It was also like, we saw everything. We saw third world countries. We saw every part of the spectrum,” she said in the March interview.
In recent years, Paris has become a bit of a socialite, rubbing elbows with plenty of huge stars like Emile Hirsch and Paris Hilton. Fans were also enthralled at the rise and fall of her two-year relationship with Gabriel Glenn. While Paris felt like the breakup was her “deepest heartbreak,” as she told Willow Smith in an episode of Red Table Talk, it did inspire her for her debut solo album.
Like her father, Paris has pursued a career in music, but her sound is incredibly different from her late-dad’s iconic sound. While MJ was the King of Pop and infused elements of R&B and rock into his music, Paris has a more subdued approach. Her debut solo album Wilted came out in November 2020, and it’s more of a folk and alternative affair than her dad’s music. While it may not sound familiar to Michael’s biggest fans, he would definitely be proud of his little girl, as she revealed in a July 2020 interview that her dad always encouraged her to do what she wanted.
On Dec. 6, Paris announced her engagement to her boyfriend, Justin Long, with a heartfelt birthday message. “happy birthday my sweet blue,” she wrote in the caption of the Instagram post. “doing life with you these last years has been an indescribable whirlwind and i couldn’t dream of anyone more perfect for me to do it all with. thank you for letting me be yours. i love you.”
According to E! News, the couple started dating in 2022.
Prince Michael Jackson II, 23
Michael’s youngest son Prince Michael Jackson II was born to an unknown surrogate in February 2002. As a child, the popstar’s son gained notoriety in part because of his unique nickname Blanket, but in more recent years, he’s gone by his preferred nickname Bigi. Unlike his older siblings, Blanket has mostly stayed out of the spotlight, but he’s occasionally seen out and about.
Even though he may prefer to stay private and low-key, Blanket did make a public appearance on the first episode of a YouTube movie review show on his older brother’s channel in 2019. The two were discussing Avengers: Endgame along with their cousin Taj Jackson. Even though the youngest Jackson might keep a low-profile, he’s clearly very close with his big brother. He went to Prince’s graduation in 2019, and a source close to Jackson told HollywoodLife in 2019 that Prince was helping his brother embrace public life a bit more. “Prince has really taken his brother under his wing and is his main role model,” the insider said “Prince really protects his brother as they have a real close bond. They go through life as a team.”
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